City Administrator and City Caretaker Antonio Orendain Jr. yesterday said the use of the vacant lot at the back of City Hall as an impounding area for seized motorized tricycles and other vehicles is just temporary in nature.

In fact, he said, Mayor Celso Lobregat’s permission for the local police to use the property as an impounding site is subject to the condition that if and when the city government will need the area the police will have to vacate the same.

It has been the long term plan of the city government to construct a multi-level parking area at the vacant lot, formerly occupied by the Zambagora, a group of retailers of barter goods. Some matters have to be threshed out before the plan can fully take off.

Mayor Lobregat has authorized the police to temporarily use the property as an impounding area for vehicles that have been seized or that will be seized during the sustained campaign against erring drivers and violators of existing laws ordinances including firearms ban, according to Orendain.

He said the mayor’s instruction was formally issued during the City Peace and Order Council meeting July 12 although the verbal directive was issued as early as July 10. The mayor, Orendain said, has allowed the use of the area on condition that the police will secure the area 24 hours a day.

As of now, the city government through the General Services Office is working double time to prepare the area for its use as an impounding site. The area is expected to be ready within a week’s time, Orendain said.

“We are allowing the police to use the property with the condition that if the city needs the area, they (police) will have to vacate. The use is only on a temporary basis”, the city caretaker stressed as he assured that the city government will definitely push through with the planned multi-level parking area project soon. — Sheila Covarrubias